By Patrick Z. McGavin- Photos by Kathy Jones
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CHICAGO— If every game is a reckoning that challenges players at the deepest level, the Jr Celtics 10U team got caught in their own self-reflection.
The view was sobering, tough and revealing.
“I think after the start we had, everybody had a similar mindset in realizing this team was really good, and we had to match them in their intensity and effort level,” Joseph Honkisz said. “After a game like this, I think the thing we learned about today is that we have to work harder.”
In taking on a Plainfield Saints team that competes in the higher level Division I, the Jr Celtics stared down a serious test. Call it the Good, Bad and Ugly—the Jr Celtics saw enough of everything, points of optimism and areas they need to work on.
The Jr Celtics started fast before breakdowns on defense and special teams caught up in a 12-6 loss in the regular-season final game of Pop Warner League play at Marist High School on Sunday, October 13.
“I thought we did pretty well after the first possession when we scored, but it felt like we lost momentum and it went downhill after that,” Brayden Ruth said.
The Jr Celtics controlled the ball and the clock at the start, engineering exactly the formula necessary to beat the fast, mobile and big Saints’ program.
The first quarter showed the Jr Celtics at their best, versatile, skilled and sharp in execution with a 14-play, 69-yard scoring drive.
Quarterback Rhett Johnson conducted the attack brilliantly, utilizing the speed and different running styles of backs Ruth, Billy Guinea III, Tyson Gagan and Ryan Ripoli. Sometimes operating out of the Wildcat, Ruth used his size and speed to power through the interior. Guinea, Gagan and Ripoli worked the edges.
On second and goal, Johnson completed the impressive drive with the 7-yard touchdown run. The drive took up almost the entire quarter. That huge advantage in possession time set the stage for the 6-0 halftime lead. The only downside was literally running out of time that prevented a follow-up score.
Ruth broke through for a 28-yard gain. On the final play of the half, Johnson was tackled in the shadow of the goal line at the 2-yard line. That stop turned out to be significant.
Special teams breakdowns initiated the Jr Celtics’ downslide.
The Saints ripped off a huge kickoff return that set up their game-tying touchdown. Disaster struck when the Jr Celtics muffed the ensuing kickoff, giving the ball right back to the Saints.
“Once they scored, I think we kind of got discouraged out there,” Johnson said.
A defense spearheaded by Ripoli, William Mikaitis, Bryce Szczepaniak, Declan Kirk, Camden Dvorak and Michael Zanta proved up to the challenge.
Kirk was a force of nature in the game, a whirling dervish who utilized his speed and quickness off the edge to create pandemonium in the Saints’ backfield. His 7-yard sack off the edge on the third seemingly returned the momentum to the Jr Celtics.
“Coach wanted to get more speed at the edge, so he put me and Rhett there,” Kirk said. “I like to use my quickness to get in the backfield. As soon as we got that sack, everybody just looked at each other and said, let’s go and get back to work here. It was hard to move the ball.”
Offensively the Jr Celtics struggled to regain their stride and early momentum. The Saints adjusted their front, and the plays that worked so beautifully on the opening drive were stuffed at the point of attack.
Tyson and Guinea were bottled up on the outside, and Ruth never achieved the necessary pathway to the secondary or perimeter of the Saints’ defense.
“I think they upped their intensity a lot more, and we lost a bit, and went downhill after the start of the game,” Ruth said. “We had some bad tackling out there.”
The pressure shifted to the defense to make the plays. The Jr Celtics were stout and tough, at both the line of scrimmage and the middle of the field. Zanta was superb, using his size to break through the Saints’ interior and pressure the quarterback.
“In general, I think we did pretty well,” he said. “At other times, honestly I thought we could have done more to get more pressure and get into their backfield.”
The Jr Celtics lost the math equation. By getting the second half kickoff and recovering the fumble, the Saints had a huge lead in possession and scoring opportunities. They broke through with a 44-yard touchdown run with 4:57 remaining.
“That was a good run, but it was a breakdown on our part,” Zanta said.
The attempted comeback was also undermined by a freak injury to Johnson’s throwing arm, which got twisted back as he attempted a pass. He was forced to sit out a couple of crucial plays.
The outcome appeared inevitable after the Jr Celtics turned the ball over on downs.
Just as he had sparked the team throughout the second half, Kirk again made a huge play with a fumble recovery at their own 15-yard line with just under a minute to play.
The Jr Celtics went four and out, turning the ball over on downs.
Now the team must regroup and get ready for the start of playoffs. After dominating overmatched teams at various junctures of the season, the Jr Celtics have received the necessary wake up call. Unlike its previous loss against Tri-City, where the players questioned their effort, the play and intensity level against the upper echelon Saints was grounds for optimism.
“I think we’re going to go into the playoffs super hard, and give it our all,” Zanta said. “We just have to work hard and practice hard.”
Johnson said the team has the necessary urgency. “I think we’re going to go into the playoffs hot, and I think we’re going to destroy everybody we see,” he said.
The Jr Celtics 10U team had many standout contributors in the 12-6 loss. Their members included Casey Gahan, Dean Copack, Gabriel Glover, Romeo Brooks, Easton Burch, Blake Schuler, Jake Tompkins, Vincent Bennett, Nixon Hazdra, Geno Vosholler, Brayden Luczynski, Jadyn Brigham, Cameron Richards, Luke Husenger, William Michael Lehnerer III, Brady Lindholm, Anthony Fitzpatrick, Grant Whitchurch, Liam Kruse, Rex Schultz and Dominik Brown.
